The Economic Council also deliberated at length over the Islamabad Safe City Project which was already approved. In its summary to ECNEC, the Ministry of Interior had requested for waiver of ECNEC restriction which had directed that activation of the project would be subjected to the outcome of the litigation which is being heard in the Supreme Court.

The meeting also decided to request the Supreme Court to expedite the hearing and give early decision in this regard so that the fate of the project may be finalised in the light of the SC decision. The meeting was of the view that the operationalisation of the project is subjected to the decision of the Supreme Court, and directed the Ministry of Interior to keep the loan active with the Chinese Exim Bank. While deliberating the project “Master leading to PhD scholarship programme (indigenous and overseas) for Balochistan students”, the meeting observed that many issues are not clear.

In this regard, the finance minister constituted a committee comprising Planning Commission’s deputy chairman, prime minister’s adviser on agriculture, representatives of the Balochistan government, secretary interior and representatives of the HEC. The committee will meet next week. It may be mentioned that the project is focused toward providing educational opportunities to underprivileged candidates of Balochistan. – Dailytimes